Yossi Ghinsberg is a motivational speaker and a man who knows a thing or two about
leadership and the power we possess inside ourselves. Faced with a life or death situation Yossi found his will to live, discovered his true purpose and is here tonight to share his story and to help motivate you to never give up. We are all born leaders and we all have the power to change our life, tonight Yossi will show us how.
“Leadership – true leaders are ones that serve not their ego but the greater good; for their company and society.”
Yossi Ghinsberg is the international bestselling author of Jungle, a true story of survival against all odds in the Amazon rainforest that has sold over one million copies and is the subject of an episode of the Discovery Channel’s I Shouldn’t Be Alive series. The book the Los Angeles Times called, “a powerful story” and The Washington Post described as a, “thrilling book” is also now a feature film in production.
A natural storyteller, Yossi is an accomplished business motivational speaker who has been hired to address audiences at such organizations as BP, Citibank, Qantas, IBM, Hilton, BMW, Proctor & Gamble, Fuji, Xerox, Telstra and Bayer. He skilfully captures the imagination of his listeners as he brings his message of triumphing over adversity from the wilds of the Amazon to the corporate environment.
When he speaks to groups at corporate events and business meetings, Yossi draws from his rich life experience as a daring explorer, survivor and visionary entrepreneur. He speaks from the heart of his harrowing experiences in the rainforest and courage to take risks in his professional life, sharing personal insight that is as riveting as it is deeply transformative.
Yossi grew up in Tel Aviv. He served his mandatory three years of military service in the Israeli navy, during which time he lived with tribal Bedouins in the Sinai Desert. He later studied business and philosophy in academic and authentic environments. Ten years after almost losing his life during his memorable trip in the Amazon, Yossi returned to the Amazon River valley that was the site of his remarkable adventure and made it his home. He was instrumental in the creation and construction of Chalalan Ecolodge, a model eco-tourism village that inspires the Amazon basin and the world to this day.
During this time Yossi organized two national reunions of all indigenous groups to inform them on issues of intellectual property and their rights and roles in the fight over resources in the Amazon. His efforts and work contributed to the creation of the Madidi National Park, the largest biosphere conservation belt in Bolivia.
The next phase of his life was spent in what Yossi aptly terms the ‘field of agony,’ when he dedicated seven years to the treatment, rehabilitation and reintegration of opiate addicts throughout the world.
In addition to publishing his books Jungle and Laws of the Jungle, Yossi has initiated various business ventures and been involved in grassroots efforts for reconciliation and healing in the Middle East. In recent years Yossi operated an interior and landscape design label called collecteco to represent his commitment to ecology, connection to nature and respect for indigenous cultures.
Yossi is currently co-founder and CEO at Blinq.me, a Silicon Valley based start-up company financed by 500 Startups acceleration Micro Fund. Blinq is an innovative mobile solution that with one touch brings social updates from across social media platforms about any contact so you enter into every dialogue with confidence.
Yossi is married to Belinda and father to four children: Mia, Cayam, Nissim and Shalem. They live in Israel, Australia and the USA.